This invention relates to new and useful improvements in release guards for seat belts on automobiles and other vehicles.
Seat belts which are used to retain both small children and children's car seats in position, are easily released by young children who quickly learn that a push of the button on the seat belt buckle, releases same. This action is not always noticeable by the driver, particularly if the child is in a car seat situated in the rear seat of an automobile as is conventional.
Once the seat belt has been unbuckled by the child, whether in a car seat or in the automobile seat itself it is relatively easy for the child to reach the door and open same apart from the obvious danger of being loose in the car without being buckled in, in the event of a sudden stop or accident.
The present device overcomes this problem of young children either inadvertently or purposely releasing the seat belt mechanism yet at the same time permits rapid emergency quick release operation.
It has been found that once a child is old enough to manipulate the guard release, he or she is old enough to understand the importance of not interfering with the seat belt mechanism while the car is moving.
Prior art known to the applicant includes the following patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,303 issued June 23, 1987 to Paula J. Salcone shows a safety lock for a seat belt buckle which is designed specifically for a top release buckle and cannot be used in an end release situation inasmuch as the lid or cover hinges parallel to the longitudinal axis of the seat belt.
U S. Pat. No. 4,497,094 issued Feb. 5, 1985 to Roy E. Morris shows a safety sleeve engaged over the seat buckle assembly and can only be release by a relatively small member such as the ignition key engaged through a small aperture in the sleeve in order to depress the latch button of the seat belt. Once again this is for top button type seat belts only.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,194 issued Mar. 5, 1985 to Roy E. Morris shows a method similar to the previous patent once again requiring a small tool to be engaged through a small aperture in order to release the top or upper mounted release button of a seat belt.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,033 issued Nov. 25, 1986 to Dale W. Orton shows a relatively involved safety seat belt securement device which partially covers the release button so that direct access is restricted. Actuator mechanism is difficult if not impossible for a young child to operate due to its complicated or multi-step operation or force required for actuating same.
U S. Pat. No. 4,675,954 issued June 30, 1987 to Daniel J. Gullickson shows a cover or sleeve for a seat belt having an upper surface which is resilient so that only an adult can depress the upper surface in order to engage the seat belt button therebelow.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,912 issued Mar. 22, 1988 to Helen A. Boriskie et al shows a side hinged cover adapted for use with a central upper release type seat belt assembly and cannot be used for end release type seat belts as the end flanges hold the device in position and cover an end release mechanism.
The present invention overcomes many of the disadvantages inherent with prior art devices and in accordance with the invention there is provided a seat belt release guard for use with a seat belt assembly in which said seat belt includes a latch plate on one free end and a latch plate receiving buckle assembly on the other free end, said latch plate receiving buckle assembly including a spring release member thereon, said release guard comprising in combination a buckle assembly receiving component and a cover component hingedly secured to adjacent one end of said receiving component and moveable in an arc parallel to the longitudinal axis of said release guard, from an open, unguarded buckle release position to a closed, guarded position detachably covering the associated spring release member against inadvertent access, means to detachably latch said cover component to said receiving component when in the closed position, means to selectively release said cover component from said release component to move said cover component to the open unguarded position and means to detachably secure said release guard to the associated buckle assembly.
Another advantage of the invention is to provide a device in which the cover component can be adjusted vertically relative to the receiving component to accommodate seat belt buckle assemblies of different thicknesses.
A still further advantage of the invention is to provide a device which is useable with top release and end release type seat belts.
Still another advantage of the invention is to provide a device which is easily secured to the underside of a seat belt buckle assembly and can be removed when desired.
A still further advantage of the invention is to provide a device with the character herewithin described which is simple in construction, economical in manufacture and otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is designed.
With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a description of the best mode known to the application and of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of the present invention, in which: